Kuala Lumpur: The Control of Padi and Rice Act 1994 (Act 522) lacks explicit provisions for prosecuting individuals involved in the longstanding practice of mixing imported white rice (BPI) with local white rice (BPT), as stated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, KPKM highlighted that this legal gap was uncovered following a study by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi), which analyzed samples of imported rice. The study, utilizing DNA sequencing technology, revealed that approximately 50 percent of the 5,000 BPI samples seized had been mixed with BPT. Due to the absence of specific provisions in Act 522, legal actions against those responsible for the mixing are currently unfeasible.
The MADANI government, considering input from farmers, consumers, and industry stakeholders, is working to address this issue. The Cabinet committee on the National Food Security Policy (JKKMN) has been tasked with formulating effective strategies and mechanisms to curb rice adulteration. KPKM emphasized the need for legislative measures and the formulation of comprehensive proposals for appropriate pricing of mixed rice categories for Cabinet review.
The agency further reported that the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) supports the development of a legal framework to regulate the mixing of BPT and BPI rice as a long-term solution. KPKM’s Special Task Force Integrated Local White Rice Operation (Op BPT) identified that the shortage of BPT rice is linked to issues such as the structural pricing of padi, rice production costs, and the absence of specific prohibitions in Act 522 against rice mixing.
A MyCC study, presented at the JKKMN meeting on December 17, 2024, confirmed that the practice of mixing BPT and BPI rice has persisted since 1970 without regulatory intervention. In response, the MADANI government initiated large-scale reforms in the padi and rice sector starting in October 2024. These reforms include restructuring governance to minimize conflicts of interest, reviewing Act 522, establishing the Malaysian Agrofood Regulatory and Enforcement Agency (MAREA), and empowering Mardi to identify rice varieties through DNA technology.
KPKM expressed optimism that these measures will receive broad support, ensuring the sustainability of the country’s padi and rice industry and maintaining a stable and affordable rice supply for Malaysians.